Obesity has long been recognized as a significant risk factor for various health conditions, from Type 2 diabetes to heart disease. However, its association with cancer risk is often overlooked, even when there is so much scientific evidence available. In a recent research from Sweden's Lund University, the critical link between Obesity and Cancer is highlighted.
What does it Reveals?
Nearly half of all cancer cases are connected to obesity. Yes, The study, which spanned over four decades and included 4.1 million participants, tracked their weight fluctuations and lifestyle habits. Over the period, more than 332,000 cancer cases were identified, with approximately 40% of them showing a direct correlation to obesity.
What is particularly alarming is the high number of types of cancers related to obesity. Lund University researchers identified 32 types of cancer linked to obesity, which is very high from what international research had previously identified, it was only 13 types of cancer associated with obesity.
"Established obesity-related cancers accounted for 25 percent of all cancer cases in this study, and the proportion increased to 40 per cent when potential obesity-related cancers were added," the researchers said.
Excessive weight appears to be a significant contributing factor across a wide spectrum of cancer diagnoses including Breast cancer (after menopause), Colon cancer, Esophageal cancer, Kidney cancer, Liver cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Prostate cancer, gallbladder cancer, thyroid cancer, Stomach cancer and Uterine/endometrial cancer.
However Professor Jason Halford, president of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), told the publication that the study was a strong, large-scale analysis. He added, "As always, more research is needed but it reveals what many studying the links between cancer and obesity have suspected; that obesity is likely to be a risk factor for many more types of cancer than we had evidence for before.”
How to Prevent Obesity and Cancer?
The researchers said, ‘ A substantial proportion of cancers could potentially be prevented by keeping a normal weight.”
You know what’s best? Many lifestyle changes recommended for weight control are similar to what is advised for cancer prevention.
Here’s few tips to maintain normal weight.
Exercise Daily
Exercising Daily is very important to maintain your Physical Health. Sitting and laying on the bed for hours contribute to most of the fat on your body. Don’t overdo it when exercising, minimum 30 minutes daily is enough for having a healthy body. Exercises can vary from just walking, or dancing to hitting the gym, choose what suits your body. Also, don't immediately sit after having any near, walk a little for better digestion and absorption of the nutrients from the food. Best time for exercise is early morning. So put those earpods on, play your favourite music and move your body a little, so that you don't become overweight.
Maintain your diet
Diet, the most important thing, in order to be healthy. What you eat reflect on your body. Choose Junk food, and see the extent to which it harms your body, even exercise couldn't help in that. A balanced diet is what advised to anyone suffering from any disease. Over-eating or Under-eating, both are equally dangerous. What matters is the calorie intake and the food you are consuming. So say yes to Fruits, vegetables, or source of protein like meat and say no to Fast Foods.
Quit Drinking and Smoking
Chain Smoker? Quit immediately! It has been long observed that drinking and smoking have many implications rather negative on human health. The both activities may sound cool to do, but when done is excess, causes every kind of diseases, especially cancer, like Throat cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer. Doctors advise to quit smoking and drinking in order to lose weight as well. Why? It has toxic materials, and make you addicted to it. So as a prevention from both Obesity and Cancer, best is to quit.
Manage Stress
Stress, Anxiety are now commonly used terms, even children suffers from stress, it is all because the lifestyle we have adopted in recent times. Inadequate sleep, a concerning high screentime, and laziness, our biggest enemy which makes us sick from inside, may not appear immediately, but overtime the implications will be visible very clearly. What’s challenging is that being overweight is always linked to ‘eating’, no one understands that stress can also make you overweight. The point when you are stressed and feel like not doing anything, makes you neglect your health and weight. So it’s important to take help for stress first and then see positive changes in your health too.
Be Patient
Lastly, be patient. You may face negative comments on your weight, but don't measure your weight everyday, don’t quit eating and don't stop living your best life. Coming back to shape may take a toll on your mental and physical health, but take it up as a challenge, which you have to prove to yourself, not others. So do not let it bother you. Consistency and patience will surely bring a smile to your face.
Conclusion
As researchers from Lund University show that being very overweight increases the chance of getting cancer, it means we need to work together, people, doctors, and leaders, to tackle this. As more people around the world become overweight, we have to find ways to stop it. It's important to act early and focus on helping people understand how to stay healthy. By doing this, we can make sure our children and grandchildren grow up healthier.
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